The Government’s spokesman Daniel Vodă said that the refusal to include the Bashkan of Gagauzia in the Cabinet is not a political decision, but a decision based on the law. According to him, the prime minister explained the decision and noted that there is evidence that the elections in ATU Gagauzia were rigged and that, before the situation is clarified, people who may have a foreign agenda cannot be allowed to infiltrate into the government, IPN reports.
In a press conference, Daniel Vodă said that the authorities continue modernization and investment programs in ATU Gagauzia, as well as in other localities, but they do not accept "the illegalities that happen at the level of the authorities supported by the Shor criminal group." According to him, the Government continues to cooperate and implement joint initiatives with the citizens of ATU Gagauzia, including with the mayors of Comrat, Ceadâr-Lunga and Vulcănești, as well as with all the citizens of the country, investing in infrastructure, salaries and pensions.
"Despite those lies disseminated by local officials, namely the central authorities finance the development of the ATU through major investments in infrastructure – water, sewerage, renewable energy, business and tourism - allocating hundreds of millions of lei from the state budget, even if the region does not contribute to the formation of this budget because taxes are withheld at the local level," explained the Government’s spokesman.
Daniel Vodă said that "the Shor criminal group temporarily seized particular institutions in the region." And here justice must provide clear results – all those who violate the law, regardless of whether they are in Comrat, Orhei, Chisinau or other localities, must be held accountable, including for corruption, vote buying and political blackmail.
"The authorities recognize and respect the autonomy of the region. This has been said more than once, but this does not mean that we should accept illegal practices or attempts to destabilize the situation in the state," said Daniel Vodă.
He noted that the statements about the non-recognition of autonomy are absolutely unfounded and ideas such as the resumption of direct flights to Russia are exclusively within the competence of the central authorities and must be analyzed in the context of the national interest and the country's security.
"The statement about an alleged exchange between the local and central authorities regarding the participation of the Bashkan and the attitude towards the Russian Federation is also false. The Government always requires compliance with the law in the management of public affairs, and the country's foreign policy is the exclusive prerogative of the central authorities," said Daniel Vodă.
A congress of deputies of all levels of Gagauzia was convened in Comrat last Saturday. At the end of the meeting, the participants adopted a resolution, asking Chisinau to open direct flights to Russia. The delegates decided to call on the Venice Commission to annul the results of the presidential election and the referendum. They also decided to ask the U.S. to check compliance with the Law on the Special Legal Status of Gagauzia.
